AR wants make the country ungovernable – Swapo

The Swapo Party issued a statement last night in response to the planned demonstration by the Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement in Windhoek today, in which the ruling party warned that: “The all-out objective of AR to make the country ungovernable, should be rejected and condemned by members of Swapo and every Namibian citizen.”

The statement released by the Office of the Swapo Party secretary general indicated that the top leadership of the party (the top four) convened yesterday to discuss a range of issues, among them “the ongoing disregard for the party constitution by some of its members and flagrant disregard for party unity and cohesion”.

Regarding the recent court ruling in the case between Swapo and Dr Elijah Ngurare, Job Amupanda, George Kambala and Dimbulikeni Nauyoma, the leadership noted that “the court did not absolve the four of wrongdoing, but ruled that the party had failed to follow its own rules and procedures in the expulsion of the four leaders of the Swapo Youth League”.

“The court, therefore, ruled that the four be reinstated as ordinary members of the party and not into leadership positions they may have occupied before their expulsion… It is thus hoped that the four recently re-admitted members will adhere to the party constitution, rules and code of conduct… and not make themselves guilty of any violations of the same.”

Further it said: “In light of the reported 16 June 2016 march against parliament, the leadership of the party wishes to underline that Swapo recognises the right of all its members to raise issues of national or party concern through established structures for discussion.”

The AR group has been hard at work mobilising people for the planned march against the proposed new parliament building, a project they say is not a priority at the present time.

However, the top Swapo leadership noted that, “the issues for which the march is being organised… were never formally presented to the party or its structures for deliberation and resolution.”

The Office of the Secretary General further called on party members to adhere to the party’s constitution, its rules and internal procedures. The statement said all Swapo members are bound individually and collectively by the party’s code of conduct.

“Ill-discipline, disturbance of peace and disregard for party rules are all threats to national unity and the continued cohesion of the party and country. In the spirit of Harambee we call on all our members to re-dedicate themselves to the cause of nation-building, poverty eradication and prosperity for all our people.”

It concludes with the words: “It is difficult to build, but very easy to destroy. It was very difficult to liberate Namibia, but it will be easy to destroy Namibia,” and said the aim of the AR group “to make the country ungovernable, should be rejected and condemned” by every party member and citizen.

Meanwhile, following negotiations with the Inspector General of the Namibian police, AR lynchpin Amupanda announced this week that they have abandoned their earlier plan to march to parliament today and will instead converge on Snyman’s circle in Windhoek to hand over a petition to the Speaker of parliament.